WEBVTT DENTS ABOUT WHY THEYWERE THERE.>> WHAT DO WE DO? GREG: MORE THAN 1000 STRONG BUT-- >> SUPPORT GENOCIDE.GREG: SPEAKING IN ONE VOICE.>> WE DON'T WANT YOUR NAZI HATE.GREG: THEY SAID NO.NO TO WHAT THEY CALLED, THE HATESPEECH OF A WHITE SUPREMACISTRICHARD SPENCER.KELLY MAERE: ANYONE WHO SUPPORTSRACIAL OR ETHNIC CLEANSING ORSTANDS AGAINST THE LGBT WILL NOTBE TOLERATEDHAZEEN ALAM: IT'S IMPORTANT TOSHOW THAT.MADELINE BOWMAN: I'M PRIVILEGED,I AM WHITE, I AM STRAIGHT, ANDTO COME OUT HERE AND DENOUNCEALL HATRED AND BIGOTRY.KALIMAH UJAAMA: I'M MUSLIM, I'MBLACK, I'M PROUD, AND I'M FEMALEAND WHO I AM IS VERY POWERFUL.GREG: TO TRY AND ENSURE APEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION, HUNDREDSOF POLICE ON FOOT, ON ROOFTOPS,AND IN THE AIR SURROUNDED THEPERFORMING ARTS CENTERA LOT OF THE PEOPLE WE TALKEDWITH SAID THEY APPRECIATED THEBARRICADES, THE FENCING, BUTTHEY SAY THAT MONEY SHOULD HAVEBEEN SPENT BY THE UNIVERSITY ONA LEGAL CHALLENGE TO KEEPSPENCER OFF CAMPUS.EMMANUEL KIZITO: $500,000 FORSECURITY, AND YOU'RE NOT EVENGOING TO SUPPORT A LAWSUIT FORUS?THAT SHOWS HOW THIS UNIVERSITYIS COMPLICIT IN HIS VIOLENCE,AND I'M HERE TO SAY THAT.GREG: BUT WITH REMARKABLY LITTLEVIOLENCE COMPARED TO THE UNITETHE RIGHT RALLY THAT TURNEDDEADLY IN CHARLOTTESVILLE,POLICE CONSIDERED THEIR SECURI

Crowds gathered at the University of Florida on Thursday during a speech by white nationalist Richard Spencer.

State troopers, police and sheriff’s deputies from across the state were in Gainesville as Spencer took the stage at the Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts to deliver an afternoon speech.

More than 1,000 strong, but speaking with one voice, the protesters expressed their unity.

They said "no" to what they called "hate speech."

"Anyone who supports racial or ethnic cleansing or stands against the LGBT will not be tolerated," protester Kelly Maere said.

"I think it's important to demonstrate that we don't tolerate that type of rhetoric and it's important for us, not just Gainesville people, but students, to show that," protester Hazeen Alam said.

"I'm privileged. I'm white. I'm straight, and I want to come out here and denounce all hatred and bigotry," protester Madeline Bowman said.

"I'm Muslim. I'm black. I'm proud, and I'm female and who I am is very powerful," protester Kalimah Ujaama said.

To try to ensure a peaceful demonstration, hundreds of police officers were on foot, on rooftops and in the air surrounding the performing arts center.

Protesters said they appreciated the fences, the security barriers and the extra police, but some of them said they would rather the UF administration have spent the money on mounting a legal defense to keep Spencer off the campus.

"Five-hundred thousand dollars for security, and you're not even going to support a lawsuit for us? That shows how this university is complicit in his violence and I'm here to say that," protester Emmanuel Kizito said.

But with little violence compared to the "Unite the Right" rally that turned deadly in Charlottesville, Virginia, police considered their security plan a success.